Fort Pierce - Thursday July 6, 2023: The ongoing heat wave is taking a toll on farmers throughout the Treasure Coast. Bradley Brown is one of them.
"It’s not good for growing right now," said Brown. “On my yield I’m only getting about 25-30% because it’s so hot."
Brown is the owner of Brown Family Farms, he grows a variety of produce in Fort Pierce. “Sales are about half of what we normally do during season," he says. "Its been tough this last month.”
And what does ripen enough to bring to market, says Brown, often goes unsold. “It’s not just the heat. The heat keeps people from wanting to come out because its so hot, its so muggy.”
Like everyone else, Brown hopes things will cool off, soon. “I’m hoping that our temperature will come down, I’m hoping for a normal season.”
The National Weather Service in Melbourne expects the feel like temperatures to continue to clock in above 100 degrees through the weekend. “I'm just trying to make it through and survive and get through these next couple of months.”